Rise and Rise Again
by Nik216
Summary: A little girl made the climb, now a woman will begin to rise. A short story about Talia's journey into exile in search of her protector.
1. Chapter 1

**AN: Well, what can I say, I am here for the same reason we all are: One director, two actors and five minutes of a movie that reduced me to an absolute puddle. I seriously just can't stop...**

**I wanted to do a short bit that played out in my head; as many others here I see Talia leaving her father sometime after Bane's excommunication and before Bruce's initiation...**

**Just a few chapters from her point of view- searching for her friend, their reunion, and beginning to grow into the formidable force she will become.**

**As if I need to say it...own nothing about this, it's Nolan's word. Just a side note, this archive seriously has some major talent- any events that bear resemblance is made as a tribute to some amazing writers. You've all made it into my head cannon anyhow!  
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"It's not worth anything more than this at all; I live as I choose or I will not live at all." ~The Cranberries

_Innsbruck, Switzerland, 2000 _

Talia al Ghul stood silently on the large balcony, her hands gripping the cold metal railing as the alpine wind swirled around her whipping her long dark hair around her face in a tempest. It was cold, painfully so, but despite wearing nothing more than a flimsy linen robe and fur lined leather moccasins she felt none of the bitter chill that licked at her skin. No, tonight a blizzard could have blown around her for all she cared; now she could not feel anything but _heat_. The fire of anger burning and twisting inside her gut was raging with such ferocity the inferno was all encompassing, and there at the center of was the cause of it all-her father. Ra's al Ghul the Demonhead himself.

How she hated him now.

Her stomach rolled in disgust as she recalled their earlier phone conversation. His voice was calm, cold and arrogant as ever declaring that he had found finally the key to his ultimate plan. A man that would lead the destruction of Gotham and then rise up to take her father's mantle as the heir to the League of Shadows; that very same mantle that gave an unknown and insignificant man the right to claim her as his own. As if she was nothing more than a well trained prize mare, finally ready to be mounted and bred.

"I have finally found a man worthy of you Talia."

Worthy.

He had said the word as if he knew its meaning. A snarl curled the corner of her lip and she tightened her hold on the frigid iron railing until her frozen knuckles actually turned red from the pressure. He knew _nothing_. She had found someone worthy long before he deigned to give her the 'privilege' of being his heir and daughter. She'd found it as a child wrapped tightly in strong arms that kept her safe at night and later as a woman she'd _known_ it when they joined as one, the depth of passion in his fathomless brown eyes had shown her the secrets of the universe. She'd found it in her protector- Bane, a man who had been her heaven as she lived forever in hell, it would only ever be him that was worthy in her eyes.

Father, brother, lover, friend- he was all of these and more, there were no words to describe their bond. But Talia knew from the very depths of her soul that there would be no other for her, not now and not ever.

Her father knew how she felt about him. What other reason would he have to explain his actions? He had thought nothing of barging into her room in the dead of night and tearing him away from her as they were joined together in the bond of their intimacy. She'd raged like a crazed jungle cat as a dozen or so of her father's finest men had attacked him, unplugging the tubes that connected his mask before beating him near death and throwing him out into the cold with nothing but his broken mask and the wool blanket from her bed.

She'd wailed and fought them as best she could, paying no attention to the fact that she was completely nude in front of the entire league. That same cold tone echoing again in her mind as her father began to speak words that her frenzied mind could not grasp- _excommunicated, banished, never to return under pain of death_. She remembered screaming that she wanted to follow him, that she loved him and hated her father. Rha's had turned to her with a look of pure revulsion and struck her hard across her face, remarking only that the day she took even one step toward finding Bane was the day she joined him in exile.

That was two years ago.

_Two years_ since she'd seen his face, or felt his warm arms around her. And though she would never compare her feelings to the agony that her masked protector bore daily as a result of his devotion to her, she liked to think that this burning emptiness that gnawed at the very pit of her soul was finally her own misery to bear for him. Maybe in this small way they were somehow equals in their despair. She felt tears starting to fill her eyes, as a reflex Talia squeezed her hands tighter; gasping as the brittle metal finally sliced into her palm- the momentary pain jolted her back into reality. She angrily turned away from the mountain vista and flung open the heavy glass door before bursting into her empty room.

Whatever calm she hoped to find inside was immediately erased as her still turbulent thoughts took stock of the lavish furnishings of her bedroom. Elaborate and gilded wood crown molding sloped and curled around an ornate ceiling, the crystal chandelier that hung like diamonds over Persian rugs that no doubt cost a fortune, and lastly her bed; a massive and luxurious affair of thousand count cotton sheets and soft down feather pillows. The room was immense- and for her alone.

The entire scene sickened her beyond belief. What had become of the child born in darkness? The ragged little one made of skin and bones who suffered with her mother in constant despair in a tiny, filthy cell covered in dirt and grime? She was not here in this room; that was for certain. Her sharp ice blue eyes did not miss her own reflection in the ornate silver mirror that hung over her dresser- it spoke the truth louder than the voice in her head. It reflected a pretty princess with long soft hair, and expensive clothes, a woman who was spoiled with an embarrassment of riches while her dearest friend was no doubt making his home in decidedly less comfort. This woman could never have made the climb.

She suddenly felt suffocated by everything, her surroundings, her thoughts, and her anger.

Absently she walked her toward the mirror, kicking off her fur lined moccasins in stride not caring where they landed, and pulling at the tie of her linen robe, letting it fall open and off her shoulders- instantly she felt a weight lift as the fine fabric and the 'princess' fell to the ground. She reached up and scrubbed her lips with the back of her hand, wiping off the fake pink color. Finally a smirk grazed her mouth as she stood in front of the image of her nude body.

Just like that, she was herself again; the same child, and yet so much more.

Despite, perhaps, being a bit narcissistic in her observations Talia felt nothing but pride in her reflection. She was a woman now, nearly twenty one, and the gentle curves and well formed flesh was an obvious testament to that fact. More than once Bane and even her father had remarked that she resembled her mother, she hoped it was true. In her quickly fading memory she was the most beautiful woman she'd ever seen, it made her smile.

Though it was the sight of her own legs that finally had a laugh escaping from her lips; she'd never been particularly tall, especially compared to her massive protector, but her legs were longer and thinner than they should have been for her height. Even after years of training with her father's men they had become lean muscled and strong, but still were as slim as ever.

They had been his favorite thing to tease her about.

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"_That is not fair!" She screeched kicking and thrashing as her body was pulled into the air. Talia huffed and tried to reach his hand, it would have been easier if her damn legs weren't as long as a giraffe's. Despite being nearly seventeen her lithe limbs had still not come completely under her control- much to the chagrin of her father and her trainer._

_A loud, rumbling laughter came from her captor as he effortlessly lifted her higher, "Fairness, little one? I did not think we were sparring for justice." His voice was filled with lilted amusement as he continued to dangle her off the floor by one ankle. "And how am I, as your opponent, to avoid exploiting such an obvious weakness?"_

_The jibe about being feeble sent her into another angry fit of twisting and kicking, "I am _not _weak!" She protested angrily, though the fury in her voice was tempered with breathlessness as being dangled upside down was beginning to send all of her blood to her head. She paused for a second and changed her tactic letting a pitiful whine fall from her lips, "Please let me go, it hurts." Only a moment passed before he relaxed his grip for a split second. _

_It was all the window that she needed, Talia quickly reached up, grabbing his forearm with her nimble hands while yanking her ankle out of his grasp. Bane moved to grab her again, but missed as she dropped to the ground in a crouch and swung one of her thin legs behind his- her heel connecting with the back of his knee- hard. For a heartbeat she caught a look of surprise in her captor's eyes before his enormous body crashed to the mat, landing flat on his back. He gasped and coughed as the air tried to fill his lungs, his mask gave the whoosh a strange metallic noise. Normally, seeing him like this would have set her heart racing, but she was well aware of how hard he fell; this was a man that routinely destroyed the better part of her father's guard- a tumble to the mat was nothing._

_Triumphant, Talia straddled her fallen friend and sat on his stomach, letting her elbows rest on his large chest as she set her chin on her hands to look at his somewhat bewildered gaze. "I think I have found _your_ weakness my friend." She smirked._

_The corners of his eyes crinkled slightly, the only clue to his smile thanks to the metal that imprisoned his face, before he spoke. "Yes, my little one, you have. Is this now fair that you have used it against me?" _

"_I…" She thought about his words for a moment, and suddenly a bit of fear gripped her. Immediately Talia thought back to her time in the pit and the way that any sign of weakness would be used to horrific effectiveness. And then with a glance up at his mask…he had already had his weakness for her exploited, bearing the pain still. Tears welled up in her big blue eyes and she wrapped her arms around him burying her face in his chest, "No, Bane, I never want to be used against you. I promise I will never be the cause of your pain again."_

_He wound his arms around her gently, idly weaving his long fingers through her hair. "That day was not weakness little dove, I merely stopped fighting to watch you rise."_

* * *

Talia smiled at the memory and her friend's playful arrogance, but she had been used against him again, less than two years later and by her father no less. She'd failed to keep her promise. Her eyes snapped back up to the mirror and it all seemed so completely clear to her. She'd walked halfway across the world to find her father, a man she had never met- now to find Bane again she would tear in apart.

Without another thought she moved to her dresser and began to empty everything she owned. She needed to pack well, and fast- dawn was approaching. It was time for the child born in darkness to shed the heavy decadent trappings that were weighing down her soul; it was time for her to rise once again.

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**Reviews are appreciated! Please leave a contribution in the little box...**


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: So we continue...  
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**Just a note, thanks to autocorrect, I just realized that I had Talia in Innsbruck, which is in Austria- when I meant Interlaken, which is in Switzerland. It's not much to the story at all, but to be inaccurate about geography is like an eyelash in my eye, 'it's very painful'...so please pardon the error.  
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**Our dear girl is starting off on her little trip...  
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**Also thank you SO very much to those who reviewed, 'favorited' and followed...you got me moving.  
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**Once again, own nothing...except my geographical mistakes!  
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"I will burn for you, feel pain for you. I will twist the knife and bleed my aching heart… and tear it apart." ~ Garbage

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One thing was certain- tonight Talia had finally discovered where her greatest talents would lie. Let her father and her protector have the domain of strength and brute force, she would be cunning.

Escape would be easy enough, though admittedly it would have been impossible a year ago. Right after Bane's excommunication her father hadn't let her out of his sight for months; perhaps he'd known she'd go running after him- he'd have been right of course. But even once his personal interest had been drawn toward other concerns he'd continued to keep her under watch- she was left under constant heavily armed guard and restricted to her personal quarters inside the League's temple.

She was a prisoner once again- this time with no one to share her loneliness with.

Eventually, like any captive, Talia realized quickly that openly defying him or his guards resulted in more restrictions. So instead she bottled up her rage and behaved like a well bred female heir should, submissive, obedient and begging for her father's forgiveness with doe eyes and fake tears. A consummate actress, it took her the better part of two years, before Ra's had become satisfied that her behavior was 'genuine' and sent her off to Switzerland on a menial task to open several of bank accounts and network the League's interests within the Swiss Bank itself- with ONE emissary.

In hindsight she should have left him a thank you note, the spare time she'd been cooped up afforded her more than enough time to polish off her studies- she now boasted fluency in six languages (including two dead ones), a wealth of knowledge in engineering, quantum physics, mathematics and thanks to the constant male company amongst the soldiers a mastery of etiquette and the finer points of feminine persuasion. Persuasion, but never seduction, that part of her belonged to one man alone.

A sly grin cut across her face…after the way she was about to leave her room, she wasn't quite sure her father would appreciate the sentimental gesture.

* * *

Talia sorted through her clothes, quickly stashing utilitarian items into her small ruck sack while saving the fine materials like silk and satin for a separate satchel. While they wouldn't be particularly useful for keeping warm, they would fetch a decent price when sold. The same fate awaited several gold and silver pieces of jewelry- they should have been sentimental gestures from a father to his only daughter, but try as she might the expensive baubles meant as little to her as they did to him.

She moved around in the darkened room in complete silence, dressing quickly and all in black. Military combat boots, lightweight cargo pants, a long sleeved shirt and snug-fitting leather coat. Finally she opened the side drawer of her nightstand and pulled out her weapons. She openly frowned at the meager stash- a small Ruger 9mm pistol with a few extra magazine clips, an 8'' hunting knife and a small dirk that she always fastened into her boot. Not exactly the armory she would have chosen, but beggars could not be choosers tonight.

A nagging reminder stirred in the pit of her stomach- at least she was starting the journey clothed, _he_ had not been so lucky. She had to take a deep breath to stop her hands from shaking at the memory. The ache in her body was palpable, there were no words….how could she possibly ever begin to tell him how sorry she was?

With a hard swallow she closed her eyes and forced down the lump of emotion in her throat, banishing it to the furthest corner of her mind be dealt with much later. Now she needed to work. Her eyes opened slowly and she felt the moment that she transcended from woman to warrior- it was time.

This time of night her 'guard' would be standing sentry in the hallway. Talia slid open her door and stepped back into the darkness. It was hard to keep the excitement out of her voice as she beckoned innocently, "Raju, please come here, there is something I need to ask of you."

The young Nepalese man answered immediately, stepping into her private quarters briskly, if not a bit nervous. There was no doubt still talk between the men about the last man who made himself a regular presence in the bedroom of the Demonhead's daughter. Bane held power over them all even now. He squinted in the darkened room, searching for her, until she obliged his weak eyes and stepped into the moonlight. His eyes snapped up, noticeably surprised to see her dressed all in black, "Yes, mistress?"

"I need a message delivered to my father." She mused simply, taking light steps across the soft Persian rug and stopping right in front of him.

"What must I say to him?" His voice was earnest and polished; he'd been initiated and responded as such- a perfect puppet.

Talia smiled sweetly and stared at the young man; standing before her in a simple cut suit, dark hair slicked down parted to the side, and big brown eyes- he looked no older than she was. But age was a concept for people who were born in the light; the pit had a way of aging a person far, far deeper and faster than the mere passing of years. Raju had been trained by the League, but he never stood a chance against her- it couldn't have been a more perfect opportunity.

He didn't even see the strike. Her long hunting knife sliced easily across his throat, showing nothing but a flash of silver in the darkness. Out of reflex, he grabbed at the gaping wound in his neck as he crumpled to the carpet. But there was no sound- no call for help- she'd made sure to cut deep enough to sever his vocal cords. Despite the savage attack she had made sure to be merciful in her kill, after all the poor man had done nothing wrong; only the misfortune of having her father as his leader.

She walked to the massive bed and slung her backpack over her shoulders, taking special care to keep the pouch of valuables close. Her hands took one last caress of the soft, expensive sheets- it would no doubt be a long time before she felt anything like them again. With a casual flick of her wrist she wiped the bloody knife on the pristine down comforter before sheathing it at her waist and walking back to the silent form lying in the middle of the room.

For a moment she surveyed the scene before crouching down to rifle through his pockets, claiming his cell phone and car keys; Talia moved to his side to gently touch the man's steadily cooling shoulder and with a bit of sarcasm she answered his question. "You won't _say_ anything to my father, though I think you will deliver my message well enough." A devious smile spread slowly across her face as she stood up and daintily dipped the sole of her boots into the puddle of blood that soaked the carpet. She could have simply walked out the door, but where was the theatricality in that? No, she had a point to make.

So in the spirit of the League of Shadows Talia took a careful path toward her balcony using deliberate steps to mark her bloody boot prints against the clean wood floor. As she swung her legs over the railing she looked back into her room; there it was, her message written in blood for her father, she had taken her one step towards following Bane- and chose exile.

Despite not climbing for quite a while Talia easily scaled the side of the three story mansion, landing in the snow with a graceful 'poof'. Her eyes scanned her surroundings; it was a half mile to the bottom of the mountain and to the only vehicle, Raju's Range Rover. She needed to put some distance between herself and the little scene she'd left behind; it would only be a matter of days before Ra's and his men descended. And while she was quite willing to believe that her openly choosing her protector over her father had forever shamed her out of his favor- there was no need to discuss it face to face.

Almost sensing her need to move, the wind whipped up in a blustery gale sending frozen pieces of ice against her face like razors. Talia shivered and stuffed her hands in her pockets to keep them warm, smiling as her hand encountered a soft lump in one of them. She pulled out the worn bit of blue fabric and fondly rubbed it through her fingers marveling at how silky the old woolen fabric had become. Bane had crocheted the simple cowl for her while they were in the pit together; it had been one of his last desperate attempts to keep her hidden.

She slid it over her head and covered her face with it, thankfully it blocked out most of the wind. It still served to conceal her as well as it had so long ago.

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"_So then I would like to see a forest, I think, or maybe the ocean. They aren't close are they? Because I would like to see them both, together." Talia had been babbling endlessly for the last hour at least; though for a twelve year old girl it really was just the beginning of her endless energy. Her friend didn't reply. He was busy, sitting on the floor of their shared cell his back against the rusty iron cot she was lying on as his fingers moved nimbly, weaving coarse blue woolen yard with a makeshift metal hook. _

_She rolled onto her stomach and leaned her chin onto his big shoulder, peering over to watch him work. "Bane, did you hear me? Are they close? The ocean and forests?"_

_He stopped for a moment and sighed, turning his face to meet hers, his full lips mumbling quietly against her forehead as he kept one eye on his hands. "Little one, I am not sure- I don't know _everything _about the world above."_

_The answer wasn't exactly what she wanted to hear, at all- so she chose to ignore it completely. "Well, which do you like better then?"_

_Bane shrugged casually as he resumed his crocheting, "I am not sure…" He trailed off and finished a few more quick stitches before he knotted up the end string and bit the excess off with his teeth. With a satisfied smile he lifted up the simple blue cowl, "There! What do you think?"She reached out with a small hand and grabbed the rough fabric. "It will keep you hidden."_

_She sat back and stared down at her lap and the gift sadly, "I am never going to see them, am I?"_

_Her voice was suddenly solemn, the tone sounding far too old and weary for one so young. Bane turned to her and knelt on the ground at the edge of the cot, taking hold of the cowl and placing it gently over her head. "You will see them little one," he cupped her small face in his warm palms, gently rubbing her cheeks with his thumbs. "When you rise and make the climb I have no doubt you will find a place where the forests touch the oceans."_

_Talia stared into his soft brown eyes and smiled once again, "Can we see them together?"_

"_Of course."_

* * *

The faded memory of his tender promise, and his beautiful, proud face before the mask kept her focused, gave her inspiration, as she sprinted the half mile to the car. She took a deep breath to steady her hands; they were shaking from the exertion of the run, and it took a moment before she swiftly unlocked the car and jumped in. Without once looking back at her gilded prison Talia started the engine and pointed the vehicle toward the major route through Interlaken.

She reached into her pocket and fished out Raju's cell phone, she needed information. Keeping one eye on the road she moved through the list of contacts, despite her father's rhetoric about the League of Shadows and its intolerance of criminals he managed to associate with a fair amount of them when necessary. Finally her eyes caught sight of the name she was looking for- Ilyia Vaptsarov. Ilyia was a particularly odious man who kept the books running for the Bulgarian underground- ex-KGB he knew every plot and every whisper that filtered through the various mafia channels. If anyone had knowledge about her friend's whereabouts it would be him.

The phone rang for a good minute before a loud voice answered, the speech slurred from too much vodka, "This is Vaptsarov."

Talia grimaced at the disgusting heavy breaths the man took into the receiver, "_This_ is Talia." She answered sternly.

He was silent for a minute; though she could hear his breathing increase- he was scared. "I…I told your father I needed more time…"

"I am not calling for my father Ilyia, _I_ am looking for information." The inebriated man's panting breath slowed again and she continued, "I am looking to find a man…a mercenary."

Ilyia laughed his voice a loud bray into the receiver, "The daughter of the demon is looking for a criminal?"

"I did not ask for your observations or your opinions!" Talia snapped her voice a fierce hiss.

The man took her tone as a sign of warning, he was instantly sobered when he finally responded. "There are hundreds, thousands perhaps, how am I to know this man you are looking for?"

That question was enough to make her smile despite her irritation, "Oh, it is very simple Ilyia- you are looking for the man in a mask."

"Bane…" His voice was a choked whisper, shaking with fear.

A blossom of affection unexpectedly curled through her body, while the man was intimidated by her father and the League of Shadows- the mere mention of her protector invoked unadulterated terror. "Very good," Talia purred, "I will be in Varna in three days, at noon meet me at the Fountain of the Sirens, I expect my information."

She hung up the phone and pulled out the battery before first flinging it, then the phone out of her window. She yawned loudly, with a sigh she leaned over and turned up the radio, it was going to be a long drive and she had a long way to go before she could sleep.

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**Road trip...to a review... :)**


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: So despite my annual Christmas flu I have managed to write something this week... I know I'm impressed! This is a bit of a transition chapter as we begin to head toward our big finale...so just a whole lot of pointing us where we need to go :)  
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**Again I want to thank everyone who took the time to review, favorite and follow...you help a very self deprecating writer feel amazing! I hope you enjoy this as well!  
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**Yea still don't own anything or anyone, not even our guest as she's a blatant rip off of a good friend!  
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"There are two kinds of visual memory: one when you skillfully recreate an image in the laboratory of your mind, with your eyes open; and the other when you instantly evoke, with shut eyes, on the dark innerside of your eyelids, the objective, absolutely optical replica of a beloved face." ~ Vladimir Nabokov, _Lolita_

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Talia woke with the sun, her eyes fluttered open to see the first light of dawn filter through the ragged, leafless trees that surrounded her car. She stretched slowly in the front seat of the Range Rover trying to work feeling back into her legs, her body was absolutely exhausted and the four hours of restless sleep she'd managed had done little to help her. She'd driven the twenty three hour drive in one shot- finally pulling off of the highway when sleep threatened to run her off the road.

For a scant moment she let her thoughts drift to her soft bed back in Switzerland, it seemed like frivolous luxury only a day ago and now what she wouldn't give for an hour in it. She rubbed her eyes with the heels of her hands and sighed, who was she kidding it was going to be a long time before she got any meaningful rest, she might as well get used to it.

A smile quirked at the corner of her lip, she could almost hear Bane's deep rumbling voice in her ears chastising her about becoming 'pampered and soft' in her time with her father, she who'd slept on a rickety straw cot for the first twelve years of her life now needed fluffy down mattresses and satin sheets. She wondered absently if he'd ever had the opportunity to enjoy something so decadent in his hard life. It was such an insignificant thing, him in a fancy bed, though suddenly she couldn't _stop_ thinking about it. His strong body wrapped around hers as they moved together against the impossibly silky fabric, the way her skin would burn, hot as a fever as he lorded over her, claiming her again and again. Warmth instantly suffused her face at the thought of being with him like that, feeling him deep inside- it had been _far_ too long. She swallowed hard and shook her head to clear out the visions and the overwhelming feelings they invoked- it was far, far too soon to be thinking about something so foolish.

It would make her weak and emotional, and there was too much work to do. Blocking him from her thoughts for the time being she started the car and headed back towards the highway.

* * *

Varna was a city of contradictions, a beautiful seaside town that boasted thousands of tourists in the summertime while also serving as a veritable transportation hub of the criminal underworld. Talia ditched the Range Rover at the airport, knowing that the vehicle would be ignored for weeks- hopefully she'd be long gone before it was discovered. Throwing her pack over her shoulder she calmly boarded the public transit shuttle that would deposit her in the center of town.

She'd always possessed a talent for being able to observe and catalog her surroundings without much effort; the hyper vigilance that had been a necessity for living in the squalid hell of the pit had never faded away. Talia wasn't sure what finally caught her attention, but just outside of the city limits she looked up to notice a young woman at the back of the tram that was staring at her, or more precisely staring at the waist band of her coat where both her knife and her gun were tucked just out of sight. She observed her for a moment committing her to memory.

The girl couldn't have been more that eighteen or nineteen, dressed in ripped jeans and combat boots and a vintage leather motorcycle jacket. Long blonde hair and mirror finish aviator sunglasses shielded her eyes from view- to anyone watching she looked like an average teenager. But Talia saw right through the guise, noting the rigid set of her slender shoulders, the clench of her jaw and the small bulge at the ankle of one of her boots; she was carrying a weapon, most likely a knife and more than ready to use it.

When the bus finally stopped downtown she jumped off and immediately disappeared into the crowd. Talia weaved in and out, moving quickly keeping and an eye behind her; sure enough she was being followed. The girl kept her distance, just far enough away to be nonchalant but still close enough to get off a shot if necessary. A darkened alley appeared off to her left and it was all the incentive she needed. With all the fluid grace of a ballet dancer Talia ducked into the darkness and drew her knife, waiting until the girl crossed in front of her hiding spot to reach out and pull her in by the hair.

She slammed her against the dirty brick wall, twisting her fist in the mass of blonde hair tightly and seating the blade against the tender flesh of the girl's throat. "Why are you following me?" She questioned her voice an odd combination of sweetness and malice.

Instead of crying or begging for her life she sighed with an amused smirk, "Purely by chance actually, I intended to get you in two days after I had a chance to rest- you are early."

Talia paused for a minute, quickly digesting the information, her movements had been known…her heart leapt in her chest as she immediately thought of her father. It was impossible; there was no way that the league was privy to her whereabouts in such a short span of time. That meant that this girl was somehow involved with Vaptsarov, she pushed the knife harder against her neck. "I will slit your throat if you do not answer me."

The girl's breath hitched at the blade's pinch, "I had business with the Bulgarian, now I hope to have business with you Talia al Ghul."

It was Talia's turn to be taken aback, though her eyes widened for an instant she made no other indication of alarm. "How do you know my name?"

The girl puffed an irritated breath and continued, her voice beginning to take on a very distinct accent; Talia had spent more than enough time in Switzerland to recognize it instantly as German. "I know you because I had a very persuasive conversation with our dear drunk friend he gave up the information quite readily." She boldly leaned forward against the sharp line of the knife not caring as it began to bite into her skin, "However, before we continue, I much prefer it if we could take this conversation inside and get rid of the blades."

For a moment Talia opened her mouth to answer her until she felt a sharp pain digging in at her belly. Her eyes flickered down for an instant to notice that the girl had a knife of her own, and a perfect position to gut her just as fast as she could slit her throat.

"Fine," She acquiesced with a stony calm and a fake smile, "Lead the way."

* * *

She lead her to a drab apartment block only a few streets from the alley; a relic of Soviet era communism the cinder-block structure had certainly seen better days. They walked up to the third floor and she unlocked the door, gesturing briskly for her to enter. It wasn't the ideal situation. In fact it was the type of situation that her father would have shot her for even considering being involved with and she doubted even more that her protector would have been pleased.

But she didn't have either of them at the moment, what choice did she have.

After locking the door the girl flipped up her mirrored sunglasses and took off her coat, hanging the tattered looking leather coat by the door with noted reverence. "So," she began casually as she walked past Talia and into the apartment's tiny kitchen space. "I should probably introduce myself before you kill me."

"It would be in your best interest." Talia warned with her arms crossed and her knife still clutched in her right hand.

Her tart answer seemed to amuse the pretty blonde as she grabbed a bottle of vodka and poured herself a bit, slamming the drink back with a practiced ease. "Very well, I am Franziska Renke, but you may call me Frankie."

"Well Frankie, you still haven't answered any of my questions and you are beginning to irritate me."

Frankie's eyes snapped up instantly and Talia was amazed at their color and their coldness, a striking shade of crystal blue and mocking cruelty that she would not see again for many years; and when she did they were set behind wire rimmed glasses and tinged with absolute insanity. "I will spell it out for you then. I killed Vaptsarov, that fucking Bulgarian pig. So now you go through me for any of the information that you want. And I know you, the Demonhead's daughter, can help me a great deal."

She considered the girl's statement carefully. "You want money, that's fine. But I have no ties to the League of Shadows any longer, nor do I do business in my father's name."

Frankie poured herself another drink and filled another glass up and handed it to Talia. "Always money," She pulled out a wobbly metal chair and sat down with a laugh. "Why is it that so many people equate money with power they think it buys them?"

That did it, now she knew what type of woman she was dealing with. This wasn't some sort of flunkie teenager trying to play with the big boys- Franziska was a force to be reckoned with. Talia finally smiled and sat down across the table from the girl, who was proving to be far too insightful for someone so young. She took her drink down in one long gulp, "They are under the impression that people will yield for something so trivial- and normally this is true."

"But we are not normal people are we?" The tiredness and age suddenly showed in her voice; and in that moment Talia knew that young Frankie may not have been born in shadows of the pit, but she had lived her own version of hell on Earth elsewhere. "And neither is Bane."

The look on her face at the mere mention of his name must have been enough to give her away. Talia itched to have her drink filled again, anything to distract from the pressure that was squeezing her throat like a vice. The beautiful blonde smiled faintly, "Ah yes, now we come to the truth." She poured them another drink and took the shot, slowly savoring the burning liquid in her cheeks. "Don't worry I know where your mercenary is hiding and I will bring you to him under one condition."

Talia raised an eyebrow at the girl's brave offer, but she continued with a hard stare. "Neither of you will ever bother me- nor anyone who is associated with me and if you need business done in Europe you will go through me."

"Fair enough," She reasoned. "Though I do not speak for my friend- he has no master."

"Your _friend_," Frankie mused, "Yes, well, I am sure that you can convince him of our little arrangement."

* * *

Talia sat at Frankie's table for another three hours learning the whereabouts of her protector and the rumors surrounding how he'd spent the last two years after his excommunication. He'd risen up from nothing again to build himself a small loyal army. But despite the diminutive size of the group he single handedly controlled the "business" on most of the Asian subcontinent and Africa. Perhaps her father's obsessive grand plans for the destruction of Gotham City had left the door open for others to dominate. The thought of what the two of them could do together was enough to set her heart racing.

Frankie relayed that he was currently set up in Russia, just south of Yekaterinburg in a closed town near Chelyabinsk and from what her sources had said it was related to construction of some sort of nuclear device. Talia seemed at a loss for what her friend could possibly be looking to gain in that sort of situation; generally his work was always extremely focused, pragmatic and perhaps a bit brutish. Something this intricate and grand was very interesting.

She couldn't get enough information, soaking and savoring every last morsel as if it was the only way in the world to fee close to him again. Her body had other ideas however, her eyes started to close and her head hung; the drive and the day had finally spent her to the point of absolute exhaustion. Even her hardwired vigilance was beginning to fail her.

"You need to rest, I think." Frankie remarked with a chuckle, "I have a bed and a shower; you should use both of them. I plan for us to leave for Russia tomorrow, I can't have you falling asleep and getting me killed."

Talia sighed rubbing her red eyes, "Yes I do need the sleep." She stood up and followed the girl as she led her to a simple bathroom and a walk through bedroom with little more than a mattress on the floor and a single bureau.

"This is my room, make yourself comfortable for now."

She nodded slowly pushing shut the bathroom door, "Before I forget," Talia yawned loudly. "Touch me or anything of mine and I _will_ slit your throat."

Frankie laughed at the casual tone of the threat, "I am not stupid enough to risk your _friend's _wrath, no matter how expensive your jewelry is."

"Smart girl."

* * *

The shower wasn't particularly warm, but it was wonderful. Talia washed up quickly and redressed in her shirt and pants; it would have been more comfortable to leave off the baggy cargo pants- but there was no telling who would wake her and when, and she needed to be ready. The luxury of a secure sleep was something she hadn't experienced in so very long…two years at least.

_She could remember with stunning detail the first time she'd made the conscious decision that she would never sleep anywhere but at his side again. It was just after her eighteenth birthday; Bane had returned from six months away on a particularly difficult and dangerous assignment. Her father had begun to send him on longer and longer missions and Talia started to wonder if he wasn't purposely trying to drive a wedge between them. Ra's had told her on several occasions that he found her dependence on the masked man to be unhealthy- that she was no longer a child and it was inappropriate for a woman of her breeding and status to spend all of her time with a common criminal, even if he had been the one to save her life. His words had fallen on deaf ears; she could never stay away from him- no more than a moth could ignore a flame._

_Her feet moved soundlessly against the wooden floors of the temple as she made her way out of her posh bedroom and towards his simple barracks. A cool breeze gently ruffled her silk robe, the feather light material fluttering against her soft skin sending chills in its wake. She shivered with a smile and gently opened his door moving into the space, instantly feeling a sense of calm in his presence. A stream of moonlight spilled through the single window illuminating the room in an eerie, beautiful white glow. _

_He was laying on his back, his large body taking up all of the space on his simple makeshift cot. Talia frowned as she noticed the numerous dark mottled bruises that decorated his body- his arm was bound up in a large cloth sling. He'd managed to dislocate his shoulder pulling three of his comrades to safety and although his mask no doubt helped to dull the pain of his injuries she hated the fact that he was uncomfortable in any way. Her eyes began to wander as she walked closer towards him, falling first on his solid chest as it moved rhythmically with his breathing, and then lower to his narrow waist and strong thighs covered in nothing but simple black pants before finally landing on another sizable part of his anatomy the flimsy fabric did nothing to conceal. _

_Her face flushed with heat at the sight of him, and suddenly the cramp in her lower body made her _very_ aware she was no longer a child. But her hammering heart nearly burst from her chest when a pained whisper hissed out from behind his mask. "You are watching me, little one."_

_She opened her mouth to answer him, it felt absolutely parched and her reply came out breathless. "Yes."_

_In the darkness his sharp eyes found her easily and Talia tried to calm herself as he scrutinized her. She no doubt was wearing a look of lust plain as day. The cover of the mask over his face made it nearly impossible to deduce his expression. "It is late, why are you here?"His burning stare seemed to pull on her body as if she was tethered to him by an invisible string. She could not answer. _

_Slowly she walked towards him powerless against the undeniable draw, "I needed to see you," She whispered finally, emotion filling her voice as her trembling hand reached out closing the distance between them resting on the firm wall of his chest. At the mere touch of his hot skin her body surged with arousal, but suddenly a profound ache of sadness overrode it at the thought of his long absence and painful injuries. "I have missed you, my friend." His uninjured hand reached up to cup her face, the rough skin of his calloused palm scraped against her smooth cheek as his strong fingers weaved into her long hair. She instinctively leaned into the caress, not bothering to suppress the tears that fell from her eyes or the sob that followed. "I cannot bear it when you are hurt." _

_He gently wiped her tears away before sliding his hand to the back of her neck, pulling her down toward him, "Come here." Talia complied immediately, climbing across his waist and settling down against his side, wrapping her legs around one of his large thighs and pillowing her head on his chest near his good shoulder. His arm curled around her back holding her tightly as his hand found hers, entwining their fingers and resting them on his stomach. She breathed in deeply settling against him like she had done so many times as a child, though now for the first time as a woman every inch of her body seemed to wake to sensation. Her soft curves molded against his strong form as if she had been made to fit his body. She knew then where she belonged, that she would only ever know peace with him. _

_His rumbling voice suddenly filled her ears, and for once she did not have to guess his expression, it was plain in the tender tone. "I have missed you too my dear one, so very, very much."_

* * *

When Talia finally woke five hours later she was rejuvenated and filled with a strange mixture of anxiety and excitement. She would not go another night without spending it wrapped up in his arms.

* * *

**Ah, it was one of those Chapters that just wanted to keep going... but alas I had to stop somewhere!****  
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**Reviews are so appreciated...  
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	4. Chapter 4

**AN: Apparently a foot of snow is conducive to my muse, who knew! I wanted to analyze this Chapter tomorrow, but I figured what the heck, creativity should just be let loose on the world! (So excuse any errors, I'll obsess over them later.)  
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**Thank you all again to those who have responded to this story...I hope you enjoy reading this little bit as much as I did writing it!  
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**Still owning nothing here but my obsession with the cold...it's just an excuse to see that boss leather coat of his...  
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* * *

"My life closed twice before its close; It yet remains to see, If immortality unveil a third event to me. So huge, so helpless to conceive as these that twice befell. Parting is all we know of heaven, and all we need of hell." ~ Emily Dickenson

* * *

When a person had seen as much as Talia had in her life it generally leaves them immune to surprises. But it would seem there were exceptions however, her new found companion was full of them. She woke up from her rest to see Franziska standing against the doorway to the bedroom with her arms crossed and a funny smile on her face."What is it?" Talia questioned, instantly snapping alert her warning instinct automatically taking control.

"What a strange woman you are," she mused shaking her head. "You should be very careful about where you take your rest."

Talia stood up, and after realizing that there was no alarm, began to collect her bags trying to ignore the young girl's penetrating icy blue stare. It had been so long since she had met someone that deserved more than a passing second of her attention- and the more time she spent with Frankie she was beginning to realize she deserved a second look. So very different from the mindless puppets indoctrinated into the League who thought or believed nothing but what was spoon fed to them by her father.

But try as she might she couldn't rid the nagging taunt from ringing in her ears, she needed to know what the girl was thinking. Finally Talia stopped in the middle of everything and squared off her shoulders, turning to her with the commanding glare she generally had saved for lower ranked men of the league for intimidation, "Why must I worry?"

Frankie laughed off her anger and posturing with a wave of her hand. "It is nothing, just an observation."

"Of what!" Her temper was beginning to rage at the blatant dismissal of her authority and she lost her normally calm composure. But the smile never left the other woman's face; she finally strolled past her before dropping the answer that nearly sent Talia to her knees.

"You talk in your sleep- and you talk of nothing but him."

She couldn't bring herself to say anything in reply. What was there to say? It was the truth. There laid before her in stark simplicity was her greatest weakness- and how easily she had betrayed her feelings. Thankfully Frankie didn't seem particularly interested in conversation or acquiring any further information; she stood in her small room for a few minutes tossing various items into a small bag before slinging it over her shoulder and remarking quickly. "Let's go, it's still dark and the plane leaves in an hour."

The two made their way back through the crowded city before Frankie motioned to a beat up hunk of metal that at one point passed for some sort of vehicle. The blonde looked around for a minute before pulling open the door and jumping in, Talia followed quickly just as the engine coughed desperately to life. Frankie steered the car out of the parking place and weaved in into the mob of traffic; it was a fast ride out of town to a makeshift runway that was little more than a level grassy field, there waiting for them was a plane that looked far too old and a pilot who looked far too young.

Talia stepped out of the car and eyed the rusty six-seater with obvious distrust. She loathed flying, heights in general actually, though it certainly did not take a dream analyst to deduce the reason for her anxiety. Her companion had already crossed the field and greeted the pilot with a curt nod and a few barked words in Russian. "We are ready!" She yelled back to Talia as the young pilot climbed in and started the engines. The flight was going to be torture- thirteen hours, stopping at least four times to refuel at tiny, municipal airports.

Perhaps it would have been best to make a withdrawal out of her personal account and charter a flight…

* * *

After they had been flying for three hours or so Frankie moved out of the co-pilot seat and gestured for Talia to move back with her to the last set of seats. _"In German?"_ She questioned lowly.

"_If you speak slowly," _Talia answered coolly, German had never been her strong point. In fact, Bane had often used it on purpose to taunt her when she was studying her languages.

Frankie rolled her eyes, "_Fine, we'll do it in _French_."_ The sarcasm was not lost.

"_Thank you."_

She pulled out a small map, nothing more than a crude satellite image. _"We are landing lastly, here, just north of the Chelyabinsk Oblast border. The pilot says there is empty land for miles so we won't have any problem getting in. The entire place is full of nuclear research facilities and the main checkpoints are watched, so we are going to cross the border in the woods on a couple of off road motorcycles to stay low."_ She moved the map again pointing to a fenced off compound, _"Your friend and his men are camped out here, about 20 kilometers or so from our landing site. Unfortunately that is where we hit our problem. He is inside a closed city, so I have no way to get you in."_

Talia stared at the satellite image studying the compound closely; it consisted of a small number of buildings and several acres of woods. The perimeter fence seemed simple enough, and she figured that the main gate would open several times a day for deliveries. An open gate, woods, and the absolute darkness of an October night in Russia was more than enough to camouflage her body to untrained eyes. _"Just get me there,"_ she answered calmly. _"I will be able to breach the compound."_

Frankie nodded and folded the map back up before glancing up at the pilot. _"What will you do with him?"_

"_You are asking for orders from the daughter of the demon?"_ Talia chided slyly amused in her sudden change of tone.

The girl paused for a moment before she continued, her cold eyes focused. _"No, from the woman who will reign at Bane's side and set fire to the world."_

Her words instantly ignited a swell of power deep in Talia's belly. Yes, at his side they would rise up together and burn it all. Her lips fell into a smile that she could not control, or suppress._ "Kill him."_

* * *

By the time they finally landed in Russia the sun was already beginning to set. True to Frankie's word they ended up in a desolate field surrounded by nothing but silence and freezing cold. Talia quickly jumped out the instant the door opened, she needed to stretch her legs and get as far away from that godforsaken tin can as she could; thirteen hours trapped in there had been too much like a cage for her tastes. Her body should have been fatigued, she'd slept only a scant number of hours during the long journey and only when Frankie's eyes were wide open, but instead of exhaustion her body was tingling with excitement- buzzing like she was attached to a live wire.

She could feel him everywhere. He was so close, god so fucking close- it was as if her body was feeding off his energy and she had never felt more alive.

The plane's engine suddenly cut off and a moment later Frankie stepped out of the plane, the bloody knife still clutched in her hand and a large duffel bag over her shoulder. She looked nothing like the sarcastic teenager Talia had met yesterday, as she took confident strides across the field she looked like a soldier; perhaps under the right guidance she could become a warrior. "I just realized," She spoke with an airy laugh and a flip of her long blonde hair, "I killed my ride home."

Talia chuckled at the off color joke before an honest, loud cackle burst from her mouth. It had been so long since she'd done it that the noise of her own laughter sounded foreign to her ears. She shook her head still smiling, "I am sure that you can find your way home without him. As a matter of fact if you cannot I do not think you will be good enough to do business with in the future."

"Point taken," She replied with a smirk, before unzipping the large duffel bag and pulling out thick black army coats, heavy leather gloves and helmets for the both of them. "Get dressed; the ride is going to be a cold one." Using the last light of the sun and another of her crude maps Frankie led them off into the woods towards a large camouflage tarp that concealed two dirt bikes. They started them up and began the treacherous drive through the woods towards their destination.

The wind was biting cold and Talia shivered despite her layers, she closed her eyes against the pain- it would not be long.

* * *

Two hours later the two frozen women finally emerged from the thick pine forest and came across a single lane gravel road; Frankie killed the engine to her bike and took of her helmet Talia followed suit. It was completely silent and there was little light from the moon, Talia's eyed adjusted quickly to the darkness and after remaining still for a moment she could begin to make out the faint noise of generators and diesel engines to the south of them.

That had to be the camp.

For the first time in two days suddenly Talia wasn't reliant on someone to feed her information. She knew deep in the pit of her stomach just how close she was. Absently she fingered the soft blue cowl that she'd worn as a scarf to keep her neck warm during the drive. Her heartbeat settled down to a slow, steady cadence and she didn't look up as she began to speak quietly. "You are going north from here back to the city, and I will leave my bike here."

"Yes." There was a pause in the girl's voice that almost spoke of a question, as if she wanted to ask if she could accompany her. Instead she said nothing, just fiddled with the straps on her helmet before finally speaking. "I hope that you have found my services satisfactory."

"I have," Talia answered quietly. "I shall be speaking with you in the future I am sure." She slipped out her small satchel and pulled out a thick gold bracelet her father had given her when she turned sixteen, for all its monetary worth Talia found it useless. With little ceremony she presented the token to the now quiet girl, "Take this for your time. Be careful where you sell that- Ra's al Ghul will recognize it and I would hate to have to come across another new informant the next time I wander through Varna."

Frankie smirked taking the token recognizing the thinly veiled threat, "Ah yes, and thank you for gifting me with something I can never trade nor wear in view of others. I shall keep it hidden until I can burn it in the heat of your rising fires." Talia nodded sagely, not suppressing the proud smile and stepped off her bike as Frankie started hers back up and sped off along the gravel road without looking back or another word being spoken.

It took only minutes for her headlight to disappear in the distance. She was alone again. The wind kicked up, the cold biting into the exposed skin on her face; the temperature was brutal, hovering right around freezing. By the crude map and the noise in the distance Talia put the lower quadrant of the compound about a mile away; she needed to get moving before the cold could zap any more of her energy. With a deep breath she stared up into the starry night collecting her thoughts, time to move again.

* * *

Her father had always been fond of telling her that she was unfocused, that somehow the child born of suffering and squalor could not appreciate grand plans and ideas; she would forever be a simple child who hungered for nothing but the basic needs. Perhaps that was why he underestimated her, why he saw her as nothing but a breeding vessel for an heir worthy of his mantle. Oh, how he could not have been more wrong. Talia gritted her teeth against her anger, letting the fire of her hatred stir her blood once more, giving her the endless fuel that she needed to make her final approach to the compound.

She skidded to a graceful crouch behind a row of evergreen shrubs as the chain link fence came into view. It couldn't have been better if she had planned it herself. This may have been a state of the art bunker twenty years ago, but after decades of neglect the only thing that stood in her way was an easily scaled fence and a small bit of razor wire. Regretfully she pulled off the warm bulk of the army coat and exchanged the gloves for a thinner pair of leather ones, she was going to need to be able to move too fast to abide by the extra weight. After securing her pack she popped her head up and took a run at the fence.

Climbing, higher, faster and then leaping, falling…she landed with little sound inside the boundary. She moved between the trees, cataloging her surroundings in the darkness; there were four small outbuildings close to her containing various vehicles and machinery in different states of repair. A few men, perhaps ten, were working while others with flashlights dressed military uniforms patrolled the area. They moved sloppily, far too careless to be anyone in Bane's direct brotherhood- she guessed them to be little more than common mercenaries hired to complete a simple task. Out of the corner of her eye she caught sight of a massive administrative building, fashioned like some sort of palace stronghold amongst the trees. He would be there. Casting one last look at the soldiers she sprinted to the alcove of on the far side of the building, there was a perfect perch to see a way to enter…

She saw the man in _her_ shadow too late. Diving to the ground she barely missed the knife trained at her head, curling into a ball she grabbed her own blade and was back on the man cutting is throat as he raised the alarm. In an instant she was surrounded by soldiers, and even as she raged against them expertly cutting down at least three other men, she was not match for the butt of the gun that cracked hard against the back of her skull. Injured and spent she collapsed into a heap on the ground, she summoned up the last bit of her clear thought to yell to the men, "Bring me to Bane!"

* * *

Talia awoke to a mind clouded with pain and exhaustion. She strained to focus, her head was covered in a dark hood and a fabric gag smashed her lips uncomfortably against her teeth. It was a chore to breathe around the material without choking. Her hands were bound tightly behind her back at the wrists; an experimental tug on the plastic tie yielded nothing but an agonizing pain. She was upright, kneeling on a hard floor and suddenly she took note that her body was warm, stripped down to her black tank top- she was inside the building, hopefully the one that she had been running toward. Suddenly a rough knee to her back sent her off balance and to the floor, at the last minute she was able to turn her face so her shoulder took the brunt of the fall.

"Who are you and what are you doing here!" A rough voice barked in her ear as she was hauled back up by her arms and the top of her head. The man waited only a moment before kicking her down to the ground again, harder this time. "We _will_ kill you."

As she was pulled upright, Talia tried to work the gag in her mouth to free up any room to speak- it was absolutely useless. She tried to scream Bane's name, but the muffle of the hood and the cloth in her mouth made it impossible to understand. She knew why; these men had no care for what she was doing there. She was nothing more than a small woman with a backpack- some clothes, a pathetic arsenal, and some paltry jewelry. She was no threat. No, they were going to torture her for a moment before submitting her helpless body to the same barbaric brutality that had taken her mother away so many years ago. Her mind was spinning with rage when suddenly the man beside her stepped away, and a loud crash echoed through the room.

She concentrated as best she could, counting footsteps as more men entered the room; these were different though, they were the silent tread of well trained men. Men who were trained in the art of stealth and combat; her heart began to pound and a seeming ark of electricity surged across her skin. Her hands squeezed into fists so tight she felt the nails bite into the flesh of her palms, and then as if hearing something out of a dream, or a dream of a dream, her ears picked up the steady echoed and rhythmic sound of breathing- his breathing.

"You brought a hostage _here_?" His commanding voice rumbled through her body with the force of 10,000 volts of electricity, her body began to shake and tears streamed from her eyes, she lost all focus until suddenly the hood was ripped from her head and her eyes flooded with harsh, unforgiving artificial light.

She blinked the haze of tears out of her bloodshot eyes and finally, oh god, as beautiful as the first time she had seen the sun free from the pit she saw him; standing there undimmed and unchanged with the passage of the past two years. Everything from his imposing, magnificent scarred body to the twisting valves and shining metal of his mask was absolutely as she had remembered it, as if nothing had happened. His sharp, dark eyes immediately flew to hers and the instant they met she watched the same tumult of emotions swirl through them as moved through her, turning from cold and brutal to almost awestruck with the impossibility of the moment. He strode forward, shrugged off his massive leather coat and reached out with a swift motion to crush the throat of the guard who had been beating on her, before cutting the ties at her wrists, freeing her mouth from the gag and pulling her fatigued body ever so gently into his arms.

Her heart broke with the intensity of it all; she couldn't speak, she couldn't move, in the end Talia could do nothing but whimper like a child, curling her arm around his neck and burying her face into the crook of his shoulder. She gripped him as tight as she could; ignoring her injuries, pressing against his warm skin and wishing that she could somehow hold him closer. That she could burrow down into his chest and never, ever have to be parted from him again. Her protector responded instinctively, sensing her distress and agony one of his strong hands cupped her head reverently as fingers effortlessly threaded into her hair.

He turned towards his men and spoke quietly, the storm of emotion seeping into his tone. "Leave us. Disturb me and I will kill you." Without another word he strode from the room carrying her effortlessly up the huge marble staircase, away from the crowd and the blinding light towards the sanctity of the darkness and his private space.

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**I know, I know...it just had to end there...for now.**

**Please leave a review...I have to shovel a foot of snow tomorrow, motivation helps :)  
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	5. Chapter 5

**AN: I have a serious problem, I just can't stop with these two… *sigh***

**I decided to go out on a limb in this chapter and instead of using the traditional Arabic that I believe was probably accurate to cannon in the Pit, I instead went with the Indian dialect of the area surrounding Jodhpur where the film was shot. Seriously for no other reason than I thought it sounded interesting in print- yep that's it.**

**Also this scene contains scenes of an adult nature…and while I in no way find it graphic, to each their own and I just want to throw it out there. Though seriously after the movie wasn't that all you wanted to see? At least I did…*ahem* anyhow.**

**Once again, this is getting flung out with minimal scrutiny, so if I spy something later that needs work I'll update, I just really want to get it read :) Creativity does the mind good. **

**Thank you, thank you for all the response…you have NO idea how awesome it is. **

**And of course, still own nothing…not even the coat…which I would die to…**

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"Absence diminishes mediocre passions and increases great ones, as the wind extinguishes candles and fans fires." Francois de La Rochefoucauld

* * *

Safe. She was finally _safe._ Talia's fatigued and overwhelmed mind could think of nothing else as she relaxed in the solid warmth of Bane's strong embrace. He took great care not to jostle her too much as he maneuvered them up the large staircase and into his makeshift living quarters. With great balance for someone his size he managed to kick open the door and close in quietly without bothering her at all, before finally moving inside the large room and gently setting her onto her feet.

Talia shivered as he stepped away from her, both from the absence of his body warmth and also a physical reaction to the loss of proximity. He must have noticed the way she was trembling as he walked to a mammoth fireplace and quickly began piling in logs to get a large fire started. She watched him with a dazed feeling as his bulk suddenly became highlighted in the in the flickering orange glow of the flames. He was real; she was here, he was right in front of her and no one in this life would ever separate them again.

His voice suddenly broke through the silence softly and in Marwari, a language that she had not heard him speak in so very long._ "You found me."_

It had been the first dialect she had ever known, the one they had shared in the pit- her mother's tongue. _"Yes."_ The simple reply was spoken on an exhalation, merely a reflex of being spoken to; her fogged mind caught up a moment later, crashing with a desperate wave of emotion- she had been the cause of his suffering again and the guilt was all consuming. Tears welled in her eyes and her small frame began to shake, _"Please forgive me!"_ She gasped out the words before falling to her knees, with a piteous wail, _"I let them take you away! I let them cause you pain!"_

Bane was to her in a second, down on his knees before her; his huge hands tenderly grabbing the sides of her face. Rough thumbs caressed her cheeks, rubbing away the cascade of her tears with soothing and unimaginably soft circles. _"Never, little one, my Talia…" _His voice was unsteady and thick, as he continued, "_Must you _ever_ ask forgiveness from me."_

Her eyes fell on his beautiful face, so close to hers again. She swallowed a sob as she watched a silent tear fall down his cheek. Those endless dark eyes betrayed everything about how much their separation had tortured him; his emotions lay stripped completely bare before her. Talia had been the one to ask for absolution and instead her beloved protector knelt before her as if he were the one at worship.

She reached out with trembling hands to wipe away his pain, nimble fingers mapping the soft skin under his eyes before gently tracing the cool steel tubing that bridged his nose and lastly the smooth grating that covered his mouth. There, where she could feel the metal warmed from his breath, the heat instantly soothed her frayed nerves. A small smile finally pulled at her lips as she moved in closer to his body and leaned in to place a feather light kiss under his eye. "I have missed you." She spoke as she moved to the other eye with another kiss, "So very much." She pulled his head down to her so she could freely touch her lips to his face again and again; confessing her loss over and over as her lips touched any skin they could.

Bane was at her mercy, as her kisses continued his hands suddenly fell from her face and grabbed her hips, pulling her flush against his strong frame. Talia gasped at the urgency of his fingers as they gripped her skin, the firm touch igniting something long dormant inside her body. Her mouth moved again, this time towards the mask as she bowed her head and pressed her lips against the warm metal. She heard his breath hitch and watched his eyes flutter closed at the simple contact. Emboldened and wanting to be closer she moved her mouth to the metal one more time, this time however she parted her lips and swiped the flat of her tongue against the grating. A low groan reverberated through his body and she felt it run through her.

The spark inside her flared to life at the sound of his moan, a note of pleasure in his voice that she had thought she would never be able hear again. Her eyes slid shut as she moved in again to kiss his mask this time taking her time, trailing her tongue against it as if it was his mouth. It was her turn to whimper at the sensation, as she swore she could taste the bitter, cool puff of his analgesic and below that something deeper, and sweeter, his breath itself. And then suddenly Talia froze as she felt something she previously thought impossible- the warm, wet press of the tip of his tongue through the mask against hers.

At the unfamiliar contact, her surprised blue eyes snapped up to meet his- they were now open and his gaze was _burning_. She pushed away from him, swiftly standing up and stripping off her clothes. She couldn't live another minute without feeling him inside her. Thankfully he was never one who needed her thoughts or actions explained, as she pulled off the last article of her own clothing he was already working at the buckles and laces of his chest armor. Talia strode forward to help him, her eyes down; trying to keep her eager hands steady as they both quickly divested him of his garments.

Taking his hand she slowly led him over to the worn patch of carpet in front of the fireplace. _"Lie down my love."_ He complied immediately, dropping silently to the floor and reclining on his back- his eyes, now blazing with heat, sought out hers.

She couldn't help but marvel at the sight before her, and not just the pleasing view of his impressive body primed and ready- no more so in the trust that this man placed in her, the mercenary feared all over the world lay before her belly up, completely and utterly vulnerable. He showed weakness, deferred power and dominance to another, and it was an act for her alone- no one else would ever have the privilege of ever seeing it.

Talia stood for a moment longer as his hungry gaze moved across her nude form. She'd filled out in the two years since he'd last seen her; during her father's 'house arrest' she had been allowed limited time to train and as a result the curves of her breasts and her hips had softened and become more pronounced. By the desperate way he reached out for her, she knew the change pleased him.

She had intended on being the one to take control tonight, to be able to seek his forgiveness through pleasure if he refused to grant it with words; but Bane would have none of it. His hands wound around her slender wrists and tugged hard enough to topple her, twisting and flipping them with a grace that should have been impossible for one his size until he was on top, cradling her in his arms. The heat of the fire beside her was nothing compared to the temperature of his skin, and even that was paltry compared to the one that burned inside her. She tried desperately to move him into position, but his embrace was too strong. A moan of pure need slipped past her lips in one single word, "Please."

He could never deny her. Suddenly his hands were everywhere- touching, molding, and feeling- committing every inch of her new body to memory, comparing it to the sacred images that he had lived on for two long years. His fingers slowly skimmed down her body to prepare her, but Talia had already had enough waiting- her hand moved lightening quick using her incredible reflexes to grasp his length tightly and pull him into her welcoming body.

They both cried out at the union. Finally they were joined again, whole and complete; once the euphoria of the initial moment faded it was replaced by an overwhelming urge and need to satisfy one another- to move.

In their previous interludes they had often taken the time to explore one another and savor the moments, drawing out the act for as long as they dared under the watch and guard of her father's temple. But here and now there was no thought of creativity or frivolity, his movements were heavy, fast, purposeful, and deep; holding her so close that he never completely withdrew from her body. The act of even such a minute separation was too far of a distance for either of them to bear at the moment. It was pure intensity, all encompassing and over in only minutes, she screamed her release to the air as he buried his head into her neck, groaning loudly in her ear when he found his own only seconds later. As he collapsed boneless, he caught his weight on his elbows skillfully rolling onto his back and pulling her on top of him without leaving her body.

Blissfully calm and sated, Talia lay sprawled atop his enormous chest; her head pillowed above his heart while her long, dark hair cascaded across him like a waterfall. She shivered involuntarily from the aftershocks of sensation more than the cold, but he took no chance; wrapping his arms tightly around her, one hand cupped beneath her thigh as the other wound in her hair. And though she desperately wanted to tell him everything she had kept inside for so long, her body had reached its limit; finally succumbing to exhaustion she drifted off to sleep.

* * *

It was hours later when she finally woke, the fire was still crackling pleasantly beside her but Bane, her protector, was nowhere to be found. His absence, while regrettable for the sake of her warmth, did not cause her any alarm- she could still feel him, he was close and he would never leave her behind. With the comfort of that thought Talia allowed herself to stretch languidly, the sore bones in her body popping back into alignment, before snuggling into the incredibly soft shearling wool of her makeshift blanket. He must have draped his massive winter coat over her body when he'd left her side. She fingered the soft, well worn leather absently deciding that while it was a poor substitute for his body- it at least smelled like him.

After a few more lazy minutes she finally sat up and took in her surroundings. Bane had set up his living space in what must have been the Administrator's office. An old set of brown leather couches was off to her left covered with his personal items, though she knew despite the cushions he instead slept every night on the floor in front of the fire. The habits formed in the pit were hard ones to break. Across the room was a massive meeting table littered with papers and piled high with books; she rose to her feet slowly making sure to stay wrapped within the warmth of the jacket and walked over to the mess to get a better look. Upon closer inspection the blueprints seemed to depict a theoretical design for a fusion reactor of some sort, the surrounding literature on nuclear power, quantum physics and metallurgy seemed to confirm Frankie's information. Her friend had grand plans involving something, very, very big.

Her curiosity sated, she moved to a large floor to ceiling window that took up one wall of the office, overlooking the entire compound as the first colorful light of dawn began to bleed into the sky. She felt his presence in the room before she heard him speak, "Have you finally had your fill, little one?" The grin was evident in his voice.

"Possibly," She turned back to look at him with a genuine smile. "Or perhaps I woke just to see the sun. It rises on a good day."

He walked toward her slowly, and she noticed with a bit of dismay that he had redressed into his black shirt, cargo pants and boots. Bane did not miss the small appraisal in her wide blue eyes, "My men needed briefing orders this morning- I thought it best to come before them like this."

A mischievous smirk curled the corner of Talia's mouth as she teased him, "I think you would have found it more profound if you appeared to them as _I_ last saw you my friend."

Bane chuckled lowly before moving flush with her back at the window and winding his arms around her body pulling her close. "No need for such theatricality here."

Talia stiffened involuntarily at the use of her father's phrase. "I left him." She spoke absently, "I cannot…I will not live another moment separated from you, I will follow you into exile."

He did not answer her, though she could feel the tension in his frame. He was concerned about Ra's al Ghul's reach with the League of Shadows and the implications that it could have on his fledgling operations. He had been working for the past two years to claw back from nothing- and though he had built himself the start of an impressive following, it would be no match for her father's assassins. Talia leaned her head back against his chest before breathing in a deep sigh. "Do not worry, he will not follow us. I have displeased him and dishonored my status by choosing you and excommunication over the one he had selected for me, he will have nothing more to do with me. I am sure of it."

His arms squeezed tighter at her words as his mask gently nuzzled the side of her face. She knew that her words had pleased him greatly, to hear in some measure that the pain of their separation had been shared with equal suffering. "My men found a small plane in the woods 20 kilometers north of here; the pilot, regrettably, was dead- a knife to the throat by my recollection."

Talia laughed out loud at the accusation and the amusement in his voice, pleased that her answer had been enough to calm his mind. "What bothers you more my friend," she mused with an airy cockiness in her voice, "that I was able to find you so easily, or that it took your _men_ until morning to find the plane?"

He did not reply. Suddenly she gasped as his large hands slid inside the coat, parting the fabric to expose her body while using the excess to pin her arms helplessly at her sides. Talia arched her back in a reflex of arousal and anticipation as one hand completely encircled a breast while the other trailed down lower to cup between her thighs with a possessive squeeze, a long finger slipping into her easily.

"What bothers me," he began speaking slowly as if giving an explanation to one too slow to understand, while simultaneously letting another thick finger join the first, "Is that your little charade and my _men's_ inept skills took me from my rest this morning." Her mouth fell open in a noiseless moan of pure ecstasy as he curled a third into her body, "And unlike you, dear one, I have yet to have my fill."

* * *

**Eeek, I am so sorry…but it just had to end there…it HAD to…the scene demanded it! **

**I promise a bit more, perhaps one more chapter for resolution, and then who knows…but I love these two **_**far**_** too much not to play with them. **

**As always reviews are SO appreciated!**


	6. Chapter 6

**AN: I am still not sure if this Chapter is what I want, and I have been mulling over it for the past few hours…this was intended to be a short tale and I think it works ending here; it feels right, yet so _not_ at the same time. (Though I have the pesky feeling that there could be a few one shots due in the not too distant future. The door is just too far open to not go there : ) )**

**Thank you all again for the feedback, favs and follows it has really been so very, very encouraging and flattering.**

**So, until next time….still own nothing…except this excessive nagging feeling to keep writing these two.**

* * *

"Well I came home, like a stone, and I fell heavy into your arms. These days of dust, which we've known, will blow away with this new sun." ~ Mumford and Sons

* * *

In her life she had known pain and she had known loss, she had lived with an aching need and an unimaginable sadness that she thought unable to conquer; she had hardened her body and her mind to all that that could weaken or destroy her. But now, in this moment, Talia could feel nothing but happiness- pure, and unadulterated joy. Lightness filled her soul as wholly and completely as the man beneath her filled her body. Finally she knew peace.

Bane however had been absolutely insatiable, almost possessed. Like a man given one last day on Earth, he had taken her with single minded focus and devotion. By the time the sun had set there was not a single inch or surface in his living quarters that Talia had not been lain down on, held up against or draped over. She wondered absently how he had been able to think of anything at all in her absence with this molten surge of passion and want coursing through his veins. Perhaps it had been the reason for his unparalleled brutality; hopefully being thoroughly and incredibly fucked wouldn't geld his ambitions. She had far too many plans.

Her musings did not go unnoticed.

A particularly brutal thrust of his hips suddenly jolted her back to reality; Talia yelped loudly at the shock and bliss that coursed through her body. She stared down at her protector as his dark eyes focused on her face sharply; he was scrutinizing her features to make sure that she was concentrating on nothing but their act. She felt the need to reassure him, it was not distraction or disinterest that sent her mind spinning off- quite the opposite actually.

She moved her body forward, her hands sliding up his broad chest and she brought her face to his, her lips hovering over the muzzle of his mask. "You are making me surrender my mind," The husky whisper of her voice breathed against the grating as she tasted the warm metal again with a slow swipe of her tongue. "I am at your mercy, my friend." Her eyes were laughing as she sat back up to resume her rhythm moving against him. His gaze suddenly hardened and Talia froze as he suddenly heaved up his large frame to a seated position, grabbing her small waist tightly, stopping all of her movements before pulling her flush against his chest. In this new position his full length pushed deep into her body, she hissed sharply arching her back straight up to control the overwhelming sensation of being stretched and filled so completely.

"Look at me," he growled moving one hand to cup the base of her skull, tangling in her hair and moving her face to meet his. "You kneel before no one," His fathomless gaze was pure intensity and Talia felt her throat tighten with emotion, unable to speak as he drove his body further upwards, penetrating her to the limit- the small bump sending off white sparks beneath her eye lids, "I am _your_ servant." The words were groaned softly like they were a benediction, an oath. He had been serving her, body and soul from the moment she entered the world and he would never stop. He would follow her to the very doors of death without asking once for anything.

Tears came to her eyes as she gasped for breath, she tried to vocalize her objections, that she was just as much his slave as he was hers, but he would have none of it. Instead he merely held her body closer; keeping up the unbearably deep connection with continuing movement until her body finally gave way and tumbled over the edge taking him with her.

* * *

Talia, despite her unflinching sense of self, admittedly felt slightly uneasy the first time she stood in front of Bane's men. It wasn't because she was a woman, or even the realization that these men had no doubt heard her screaming and moaning for the past two days like some sort of deranged animal in heat; no, it was the way they looked at her as the Demonhead's daughter. The glazed look in their eyes as her protector spoke elegantly and profoundly about forging a new world order, as if she was the messiah that was going to help bring this all about. She played the part well enough though, and she knew that it would not take very long before she would be able to do all the things her father had thought outside the realm of her abilities.

"I have news about the scientist." A soft voice suddenly spoke up from her left; she turned her head to see a man no older than she was. He was handsome, slight build with dark brown hair and beautiful blue eyes that seemed a bit sad. Eyes that belied age beyond that of his physical body, he was another old soul tainted by pain and molded by suffering. He was garbed like the rest in military gear except the bulletproof vest he wore was lined with massive .50 caliber rifle sniper rounds.

A sudden pressure against her back instantly drew her attention; Bane had moved himself right behind her and she could feel him pressed intimately against her, a silent declaration of dominance and ownership. Talia smiled to herself as she realized that her observations of this poor young man were going to get him killed if she persisted. Their reunion was still too fresh, the want too raw to slip into the well rehearsed roles of indifference that they had always used in the League. Perhaps he no longer wanted to appear that way in front in other men; after all there was no longer a need to keep their relationship a secret.

"Tell us what you have learned, brother." Bane asked gesturing with his hand for him to continue before putting it down by her hip, his fingers twitching restlessly- he wanted to touch her here in front of them, she was sure of it now.

"Doctor Piotr Alexandrov Maslak has been working on a theory for new fusion reactor that will someday replace all fossil fuels; a completely clean source of unlimited energy. He is desperate for funding, but the Russian government refuses to invest; they are concerned about the impact of the research will have on their petroleum industry, and their profits." The young man, his name was Barsad she was informed, calmly explained the situation before continuing, "Last week the government issued a warrant for his arrest and he disappeared into hiding."

"Have you information on his whereabouts?" Bane's voice questioned.

The young man shook his head, "I have been trying to contact several informants around the Black Sea ports but I have been unable to find anyone who has any reliable information. It would seem that the doctor has vanished. We need someone who has vast knowledge of the underground."

"Perhaps then brother, we should pay a visit to Ilyia Vaptsarov, it is time that we collected on the debts that are owed to us."

Talia chuckled lightly shaking her head. "I am afraid you will be trying to collect from a ghost my friend, Vapsarov is dead." She craned her neck back to look at his now very interested expression. "I sought him out myself when I was trying to locate you- it would seem that he ran afoul of a rather interesting young woman in Varna."

"Is this woman worth contacting?" He questioned with a hint of genuine interest in his voice.

"Perhaps," She bit her lower lip to try to suppress a smile, instead adding a note of seriousness. "I found her talents to be rather useful, particularly since she managed to put me on your doorstep in little more than two days."

"Very well, give Barsad her information- we will see if she is as competent you say." The words were spoken with a sense of mock indifference, but she did not miss the wrinkles around his eyes that betrayed his smile. He was pleased with her.

Bane dismissed the group after their conversation about the girl ended, and as the last man left Talia sighed with relief leaning into the firm wall of his chest. This new life was going to take much more out of her than she ever could have imagined; to be addressed with power and respect, not because of her father's rule- but because she would command it herself. It was a heady feeling.

Her mind continued to work as usual, non-stop, and she took a deep breath to steady herself; it was then that a realization hit her. From somewhere deep in the resources of her intellect, her schooling came back to her in a rush. The fusion reactor, despite the benign nature of its design and intent was in fact nothing more than a large scale nuclear bomb, and from the description that she had read on the blueprints it would be large enough to completely vaporize everything in a ten mile radius.

"You are trying to destroy a city?" She mused for a moment. "I wasn't aware that you still had the same ambitions as the League of Shadows."

Bane chuckled lowly, his fingers absently smoothing back her hair before trailing down the pale column of her throat, right along the line of her pulse. "No little one, I have little care for your _father's_ destiny." The disdain in his tone was readily apparent, "I am in the business of influence, and we are in the position to acquire something in time that even Ra's al Ghul would be interested in."

"Hmm, such a power will be useful." Talia smiled at the picture in her head, her rising to such heights and her father coming before the two of them begging for assistance.

"Perhaps one day."

He turned his body and gently steered her in the same direction, motioning towards the staircase and his personal area. "Come." His voice was quiet, but commanding and one look at his eyes found them full of hunger and need once again.

It would seem that despite the soreness in her body, her friend had not yet soothed the ache in him. Talia began to wonder if he would ever be able to, after all it had not been the first time that fate had torn them apart; that had been when she had made her climb to freedom. Twice she had been taken away from him, causing more pain that any man deserved to endure in a lifetime. But she was here now and would not deny him of her presence ever again, so she followed, mirroring his steps as they rose up- this time together.

* * *

Bane's hands reached up to push open the heavy wooden doors when suddenly Barsad appeared behind them. "Forgive me," he immediately deferred to his masked leader, fearing no doubt his reaction to being interrupted. "The men just apprehended a woman in our compound; she put down six of the mercenaries before we subdued her and she will speak to no one. But this was in her possession." He extended his hand, and there dangling from his fingers was her thick gold bracelet.

Bane turned to speak, but Talia stepped in front of him to address the young sniper taking back the jewelry that she had given away only a night ago. "Make her comfortable Barsad and watch over her, she is not to be touched. Do not underestimate her, or you will find your throat slit. Tell her I will speak to her soon," She commanded her tone both gentle and stern. "Leave us. If we are interrupted I will kill whoever does it."

She waved him off and turned back to her protector, who was smiling beneath his mask at her show of control, pushing past him with her head up she spoke fondly. "Come my dear friend, we have a fire to light you and me."

* * *

**So….how was it? A review is always inspiration….**


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